"How To Live To One Hundred" By Allen Weiss, MD, MBA, President and CEO

How To Live To One Hundred

April 15, 2010 - A long and healthy life – isn't that what most of us want?

Because of where we live, we actually have a "leg up" on that goal. Collier County has the distinction of having the fourth longest life span in the country at 80.1 years, a full 10 years longer than the shortest life span county in Florida.

But for citizens of any country, there is a wide variation on life expectancy. Some of the factors:

Genetics (you can't change your genes—yet).

Gender (women live longer and their life expectancy is growing faster than men's).

Socio-economic (poorer people don't do as well).

And there are many other factors, such as early childhood care, nutrition, access to healthcare, even your underlying personality.

If we take an honest look in the mirror, most of us have real opportunities to improve life span. Childhood diabetes caused by obesity may cause this generation of children to predecease their parents. "Affluenza," or having too much of good things such as food or comfort, can have damaging effects on one's health. By many estimates, 70% of current illnesses are self inflicted.

Childhood diabetes caused by obesity may cause this generation of children to predecease their parents. "Affluenza," or having too much of good things such as food or comfort, can have damaging effects on one's health. By many estimates, 70% of current illnesses are self inflicted.

Even so, some governmental demographers anticipate life expectancy in the United States will be in the mid-80s by 2050 and will top out eventually in the low 90s. That's barring major scientific advances that can change the rate of human aging itself, as opposed to merely treating the effects of aging as we do today.

But remember, there are already areas around the world where people live longer and better. Here is author Dan Buettner on what he has found:

"I've been taking teams of scientists to five pockets around the world where people live the longest, healthiest lives. We call these places the Blue Zones. We found a Bronze-age mountain culture in Sardinia, Italy, that has 20 times as many 100-year-olds as the U.S. does, proportionally. In Okinawa, Japan, we found people with the longest disability-free life expectancy in the world. In the Blue Zones (Sardinia, Italy; Okinawa, Japan; Loma Linda, Calif.; and the Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica), people live 10 years longer, experience a sixth the rate of cardiovascular disease and a fifth the rate of major cancers."

Buettner noted nine common habits among the inhabitants of these "blue zones." These are all good and understandable habits. As you read down the list, think how much better and longer our lives would be if we just started with one or two of these steps, and then took aim at the rest of them.

1) Move naturally. Be active without thinking about it. Identify activities you enjoy and make them a part of your day.

Dr. Allen Weiss is CEO & President of the NCH Healthcare System. He is board certified in Internal Medicine, Rheumatology and Geriatrics, and was in private practice in Naples, Florida from 1977 - 2000. Dr. Weiss is active in a variety of professional organizations and boards, and has been published in numerous medical journals, including the American Journal of Medicine and the Journal of Clinical Investigation.